Adaptable horizontal organizer

ABSTRACT

An aesthetically pleasing horizontal organizer that allows a user to individually select the number of shelves and/or drawers received therein is disclosed. The organizer includes one or more component receiving portions therein, with each component-receiving portion being configured to operably receive one of either a component shelf or a component drawer so as to allow a user to individually configure a desired combination of shelves and drawers for the organizer. Preferably, the components include a front lip that extends below the floor of the component and walls extending above the floor along the sides and rear of the component so as to urge items in the component rearward and remain secured within the component when the component is placed on a substantially level horizontal surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/571,603 filed on May 13, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adaptable horizontal organizer. In particular, the organizer includes one or more component receiving portions, each component-receiving portion is configured to operably receive one of either a component shelf or a component drawer therein so as to allow a user to individually configure a desired combination of shelves and drawers for the organizer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Organizers, and particularly horizontal office organizers, are widely used. The typical horizontal organizer is usually constructed of inexpensive, un-aesthetically pleasing materials, such as plastic or the like, and it usually includes a plurality of spaced apart shelves therein. The shelves are typically rigidly secured to the organizer, and are commonly used to sort and store paper, envelopes, mail and the like.

Other known horizontal office organizers include one or more drawers that slide open to reveal one or more storage chambers therein. These types of organizers are often sized to receive small office supply items, such a paperclips, rubber bands, and the like therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Despite the benefits offered by these types of organizers, there remains a need an aesthetically pleasing organizer that allows a user to individually select the number of shelves and/or drawers received therein. Among other benefits disclosed herein, the present invention fulfills this need.

The organizer includes one or more component receiving portions therein, with each component-receiving portion being configured to operably receive one of either a component shelf or a component drawer so as to allow a user to individually configure a desired combination of shelves and drawers for the organizer.

In a preferred embodiment, the components include a front lip that extends below the floor of the component and walls extending above the floor along the sides and rear of the component. Accordingly, items placed in the component are urged rearward and contained by the walls when the component is placed on a substantially level horizontal surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front, left isometric view of a substantially horizontal organizer having a plurality of shelves operable secured therein in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front, left isometric view of a shelf in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front, left isometric view of the horizontal organizer of FIG. 1 having a plurality of drawers operably secured with one drawer shown in a possible open position with a portion of the organizer removed to show internal detail.

FIG. 4 is a left side isometric view of a drawer of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front, isometric view of the horizontal organizer of FIG. 1 showing a possible combination of shelves and drawers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An adaptable substantially horizontal organizer 20 is disclosed in FIGS. 1-5.

Preferably, the organizer 20 includes one or more component receiving portions 22, each component-receiving portion 22 is configured to operably receive one of either a component shelf 24 or a component drawer 26 therein so as to allow a user to individually configure a desired combination of shelves and drawers for the organizer. For example, the organizer 20 can be configured to include a plurality of spaced-apart shelves as shown in FIG. 1, or a plurality of spaced apart drawers as shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively, the organizer 20 can include a combination of both shelves 24 and drawers 26, an example combination of which is shown in FIG. 5.

In a preferred embodiment, the component-receiving portion 22 includes structures to allow a shelf component 24 or drawer component drawer 26 to be slid open from the frame 30 of the organizer 20 and held substantially horizontally in place.

An exemplar component receiving structure 22 is best shown in FIG. 3. This exemplar component receiving structure 22 is preferably a pair of horizontally aligned rails 50 having a substantially horizontal surface 52 thereon and a lip 54 protruding therebelow. The lip 54 catches on the upper side edge 56 of a component 24, 26 positioned on the component receiving structure 22 below, thereby maintaining the component 24, 26 substantially horizontally when slid along the horizontal surface 52 to define an open position 33 of the component 24, 26 as shown in FIG. 3.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the shelf component 24 (FIG. 2) and drawer component 26 (FIG. 4) preferably include a front lip 32 that extends below the substantially horizontal floor 34 of each component and walls 37 on the sides and rear of the component extending above the substantially horizontal floor 34. Accordingly, the floor 34 of each component tilts slightly toward the rear 36 of the component when the component is placed on a substantially horizontal surface so as to allow objects received in each component to be urged toward the rear 36 of the component while remaining secured within the area defined by the walls 37.

Preferably, the organizer 20 includes a frame 30 formed with conventional materials, such as sheets for metal folded and secured together to define a substantially rectangular frame that is open on one face 40. If desired, pull handles (not shown) with tag holders thereon can be attached to the front of each component to facilitate opening of the component and identification of the contents therein during use.

Having described and illustrated the principles of our invention with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. For example, the configuration of shelf components and drawer components can be arranged in any configuration desired by the user. Also, the materials used to make the organizer can be modified as needed for particular functional or aesthetic purposes.

In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles may be put, it should be recognized that the detailed embodiment is illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of our invention. Accordingly, we claim as our invention all such modifications as may come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto. 

1. A horizontal organizer having: a frame a component receiving portion operably secured to the frame, and, said component receiving portion adapted to allow one of a shelf component and a drawer component to be operably secured thereto, thereby allowing the horizontal organizer to serve as either a shelf storage device or a drawer storage device.
 2. The horizontal organizer of claim 1, further including: a second component receiving portion operably secured to the frame, and, said second component receiving portion adapted to allow one of a shelf component and a drawer component to be operably secured thereto.
 3. The horizontal organizer of claim 2, wherein a shelf component is operably secured to said component receiving portion and a drawer component is operably secured to said second component receiving portion.
 4. The horizontal organizer of claim 2, wherein said component receiving portion and said second component receiving portion each include a shelf component operably secured thereto.
 5. The horizontal organizer of claim 2, wherein said component receiving portion and said second component receiving portion each include a drawer component operably secured thereto.
 6. The horizontal organizer of claim 1, wherein said component receiving portion includes an elongate substantially horizontal surface for allowing said one of said shelf component and said drawer component to be slidably secured thereto.
 7. The horizontal organizer of claim 6, wherein said component receiving portion includes a pair of substantially horizontally aligned, spaced apart rails, each rail of said spaced rails operably secured to said frame.
 8. The horizontal organizer of claim 7, wherein each said rail includes a lip extending below said substantially horizontal surface.
 9. The horizontal organizer of claim 1, wherein said drawer component includes a floor and walls extending above said floor on the sides, front, and rear of the drawer.
 10. The horizontal organizer of claim 9, further including a front lip extending below the floor from the front of the drawer component thereby urging items placed in the drawer toward the rear of the drawer component when the drawer component is placed on a substantially horizontal surface.
 11. The horizontal organizer of claim 1, wherein said one of said shelf component and said drawer component is detachably secured to said component receiving portion.
 12. The horizontal organizer of claim 1, wherein said one of said shelf component and said drawer component is slidably secured to said component receiving portion to thereby define an open position and a closed position.
 13. The horizontal organizer of claim 7, wherein each said rail includes a lip extending below said substantially horizontal surface.
 14. The horizontal organizer of claim 1, wherein said shelf component includes a floor and walls extending above said floor on the sides and rear of the drawer.
 15. The horizontal organizer of claim 14, further including a front lip extending below the floor from the front of the shelf component thereby urging items placed in the shelf component toward the rear of the shelf component when the shelf component is placed on a substantially horizontal surface.
 16. The horizontal organizer of claim 1, wherein said frame is formed of metal.
 17. The horizontal organizer of claim 1, wherein said one of said shelf component and said drawer component is formed of metal.
 18. The horizontal organizer of claim 1, further including a plurality of said component receiving portion, defining a stack of vertically spaced-apart component receiving portions. 